The evil, shadowy organization known as The Arlington Group

[Ian David]

Sunday, March 25, 2007
What's the secret handshake?

It looks as if the "moral values" crowd is at its again -- skulking around behind the scenes in the hopes of anointing the chosen one to represent them in 2008.

The Globe's Scott Helman has an interesting look at the innocuously named Arlington Group and its effort to find the Theocons' choice to carry the "moral values" banner that will be relinquished by George W. Bush.

Perhaps nothing better reflects the tarnished image of ayatollahs such as James Dobson, Tony Perkins and Gary Bauer that they feel they need to ride under the radar screen -- and as a 501 (c) 3 group that cannot officially endorse anyone.

A little sunlight never hurts and kudos to the Globe for providing it.

More:
http://baystateliberal.blogspot.com/2007/03/whats-secret-handshake.html



Also:


Coalition seeks to reframe GOP race
Leaders of secretive group interview 2008 candidates

By Scott Helman, Globe Staff | March 25, 2007

Leaders of a secretive coalition that includes some of the most influential social conservatives in the nation are interviewing presidential candidates in hopes of flexing political muscle and reframing the Republican primaries in 2008.

Over the past few months, members of the executive committee of the so-called Arlington Group have questioned several declared and potential White House hopefuls with the intention of settling on a single candidate, according to Arlington Group members and Republican operatives familiar with the discussions.

A nod from the conservative movement's biggest names to followers at the grass-roots level would give a major boost to candidates such as former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, whose past moderate positions on social issues have hampered his attempts to court the right, or former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who lacks front-runner name recognition and fund-raising numbers.

"If they were to get behind me, it would be a huge surge for me," Huckabee said in an interview. "I wish I could tell you today that I'm the guy."

<snip>

Because the Arlington Group is made up of many nonprofit organizations and ministries -- which, by law, cannot officially advocate for political candidates -- the coalition is not expected to explicitly endorse anyone. Instead, according to members of the group and two Republicans close to it, the conservative leaders hope to coalesce around one candidate that prominent members such as James Dobson, who heads Colorado-based Focus on the Family, could endorse individually. Dobson, for example, is free to say as a private citizen that he supports a certain candidate, a personal endorsement sure to influence many of his followers.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/03/25/coalition_seeks_to_reframe_gop_race/